Religious Persecution

(Aired January 18, 2010)

Religious persecution is not something that is new in our history. Centuries of persecution is easily documented and well proven. But recent incidents in Iran have shown us that it doesn't show any signs of going away. Seven members of the Baha'i faith are on trial on a variety of charges, most of which appear to be largely trumped up as part of a persecution against a faith that has some fundamental differences with the Muslim faith. The Iranian media have accused the Baha'is of causing civil unrest. At least one of the charges is a capital offence. But in reality, it would appear that the government is more interested in trying to suppress the faith and using the civil charges to do that. The Baha'i faith is one of the most peaceable faiths I know. But it has some fundamental differences with other religions. That's not surprising. Many faiths differ from others. But some of those differences conflict with Muslim beliefs, so in countries like Iran, the faith has been under persecution for some time. Since the faith was founded in 1844, tens of thousands of Baha'is have been massacred. The persecution stopped for a time under the former Shah of Iran, but since the revolution in the late 70's, life for many Baha'is in Iran has been intolerable. Members have been fired, their pensions confiscated, many have been prevented from going to University and owning property. Canada has, in the past, been one of the major defenders of the Baha'i faith, and there are reports the government is working behind the scenes to help the seven currently being charged. Whether they can make a difference is hard to say. One thing for sure, these five men and seven women will almost certainly face long prison terms, if not death, unless some foreign country can help pave the way for their freedom. History has shown that much persecution has taken place in the name of God, or one of His many derivatives. This appears to be just the latest example in a long history of using God to achieve a more political and secular end.